Commlinks are here!, And we didn't even notice it. Options

[Karoline]

So, I haven't really noticed anyone bring this up before, and it just suddenly kind of hit me in one of those 'moments of enlightenment'.

So, what hit me? That we have commlinks! It has been so gradual that we didn't even notice it happen! Where are these commlinks? Our advanced netbooks? No! Cellphones!

Think about it, cellphones have come so far, and can do so much now.
Cellphones have had cameras for a while, and video conferencing is becoming more and more common.
Cellphones have had internet access for a while, and now they've gotten to the point that surfing the internet has become quite natural, with the pages turning based on how you hold the phone, zooming and such easily.
Certain banks/phones allow you to deposit checks by taking a photo of the check.
Some cellphones allow you to transfer money directly from account to account through the phone.
Cellphones have had games for a while, and recently the games have been getting fairly advanced, with flash games being a notable market.
Cellphones are quickly gaining apps to allow them to do a huge number of things.

Surprising as it sounds, it seems like cellphones can already do everything that a commlink can do, in a device the same size, or perhaps smaller, with the notable exception of DNI, though I blame that on DNI technology, not on the not so humble cellphone.

[Nerdynick]

Yep.




But seriously, they do mimic commlinks, albeit with much more limited processing power and memory space. Not only do we lack DNI, but we lack a viable AR interface as well (yes, I do realize that we're working on that too).

I think the biggest reason our current phones aren't quite up their is availability. While our phones *can* do those things, only higher end ones do it well. Also, those services generally cost extra in the modern world, whereas they are fairly standard features in 2070.

[Karoline]

Very true, and they don't all have every one of those functions either. But it just kind of hit me just how close we are to commlinks already. Or really, that we already have them. Interface is the main difference between a cellphone and a commlink. Besides processing power of course, but that is hard to measure, since it isn't measured in commlinks besides response rating.

I suppose it's one of those things that just really hit me with technology, and its no wonder that you see such huge tech differences between the editions. A couple decades ago, cell phones barely existed, now they can do nearly anything. Heck, three decades ago, we barely had computers and now.. gezz, it's hard to describe. And if you watch science and discovery channel much, you get to see all kinds of cutting edge technology, alot of which is nearly on par with SR stuff, some of it is actually beyond SR stuff.

I can't wait to see what happens in another couple of decades or so.

[Nifft]

Today's cellphones can even be used for hacking, especially iPhones and Android devices.

I recall hearing about an iPhone that was set to sniff WiFi traffic and "mistakenly" shipped to a rival company. It sat in their mailroom for about a week (or maybe the external battery pack only lasted for a week), giving the sender a secret channel into the rival company's network.

[phlapjack77]

From SR4A:

• online all-the time - check
• control all of their electronics - not yet but getting there
• access their ID and accounts - check
• enhance their experiences with augmented and virtual reality - (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) (there is an iPhone app that's trying to do the ARO thing, but it's slow and wonky)
• music player - check
• micro-trid/holo projector/“touch-screen” display - check except for holo projector, and we're not at "trid" yet I guess
• camcorder - check
• microphone - check
• image/text scanner - check (with the right software)
• RFID tag reader - not sure?
• GPS - check
• roll-up Velcro-fastening keyboard - sorta check, the floppy "roll-up" keyboard is around but kinda sucks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
• chip player - check (SD cards?)
• credstick reader - sorta check (I've seen prototypes for credit card readers to use with an iPhone)
• retractable earbuds - not really check, but no big deal
• voice-access controls - sorta check (Google)
• shock and water-resistant case - check

I get anything wrong or any current tech I'm missing?

[etherial]

All this and more is why we had Crash 2.0 and the new Wireless Matrix with Commlinks. I remember back in '00 when my character was the only one with a Commlink. I thought everyone else on the team was crazy. It even led to my favorite SR war story.

[hobgoblin]

If Google or Apple opens up their platform so that one can make use of external compass and video data, AR glasses are available here:
http://www.vuzix.com/consumer/products_wrap920ar.html

and there is also this:
https://www.zealoptics.com/transcend/

that i can see evolving further.

[Xahn Borealis]

To make it a Matrix-capable commlink, it needs to be able to have an Active mode, to retrans local wifi networks. So if I'm outside my home wifi network's signal range, your 'commlink' can act as a signal bridge and allow me to connect with it. Of course, that means that we'd just end up trying to create the Matrix 2.0 with wireless access everythere, making ISPs useless. Which I doubt they'll appreciate.

[hobgoblin]

To make it a Matrix-capable commlink, it needs to be able to have an Active mode, to retrans local wifi networks. So if I'm outside my home wifi network's signal range, your 'commlink' can act as a signal bridge and allow me to connect with it. Of course, that means that we'd just end up trying to create the Matrix 2.0 with wireless access everythere, making ISPs useless. Which I doubt they'll appreciate.

There are systems in the works that do something like that right now.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Wi-Fi_Direct

there is also this, from new orleans:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5341052

and i know i have read about attempts at similar networks elsewhere.

[phlapjack77]

There are systems in the works that do something like that right now.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Wi-Fi_Direct

there is also this, from new orleans:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5341052

and i know i have read about attempts at similar networks elsewhere.

I heard about similar things in (San Francisco? Seattle?) but they were all shut down for some reason or the other. Money talks. So I'm thinking the Matrix 2.0 is very feasible, except for now the ISPs aren't happy about letting it happen...

A university in New Orleans was offering a graduate-level class in "mesh networking" or something like that. I applied, but then Katrina hit. Never did hear back about the class...

[Mäx]

there is also this, from new orleans:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5341052

Only in America can City offering free wlan for its citizens be illegal (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Have spend lot's of time in the last years time planning,building and maintaining a similar free wlan in Lahti Finland.

[hobgoblin]

Only in America can City offering free wlan for its citizens be illegal (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Have spend lot's of time in the last years time planning,building and maintaining a similar free wlan in Lahti Finland.

Nice. I am guessing that interference becomes a real issue after some time.

[hobgoblin]

going to bump the thread with this:
http://www.redferret.net/?p=24093

now i wonder if it is the angle that makes them look acceptable, as older version have made "bug eye" sunglasses look sane...

still, i do want to see a version with video cameras flush with the lenses, and a compass in the frame so that one can make use of proper AR.

[Gerzel]

Dude old palms with cellphones have been around for a while.

It isn't that the tech is here it is that it has become widespread.

Really SR is basically a mirror of today's tech with a bit more bangbang, and some magic mixed in, and not really future tech. If you want true futurist tech you can go to Eclipse Phase (Seriously, go look! It's a good game and was originally going to be part of the whole Earthdawn/Shadowrun timeline, basically set after the Horrors come back.).

[Karoline]

going to bump the thread with this:
http://www.redferret.net/?p=24093

now i wonder if it is the angle that makes them look acceptable, as older version have made "bug eye" sunglasses look sane...

still, i do want to see a version with video cameras flush with the lenses, and a compass in the frame so that one can make use of proper AR.

Cool. Now I just need to figure out how they connect to anything.

@Gerzel - That's the truth about virtually any game that has futuristic technology. Most of it is just current technology with a bit more 'umph'. And most of it is actually way less advanced than it should be. Some have good reasons for this mind you, but it doesn't change the fact for the most point.

[Blade]

• RFID tag reader - not sure?

A few phones are NFC compatible. NFC is a subset of RFID with a range of 10cm maximum.
It's mostly used for public transportation access in Europe (but in separate cards) and for a lot more (paying, ticketing, marketing...) in Asia (where it might be on the phone).

[Faraday]

[*]roll-up Velcro-fastening keyboard - sorta check, the floppy "roll-up" keyboard is around but kinda sucks
I get anything wrong or any current tech I'm missing?

Floppy rollup keyboards are so last year. Get yourself a laser projection keyboard, they're totally wiz.

[Draco18s]

Only in America can City offering free wlan for its citizens be illegal (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Philadelphia's been trying to set up a city wide network for some years now. It's advertised as free, but it isn't, not really.

Verizon and Comcast are up in arms over it because "free" means that the provider loses money on the deal (and we can't have THAT). Not to mention that it'd be monopolistic (one provider, which means there's no competition, and we can't have that EITHER). Despite the fact that the free wifi cities have been putting up covers places where no one can afford an internet connection.

[Doc Chase]

A few phones are NFC compatible. NFC is a subset of RFID with a range of 10cm maximum.
It's mostly used for public transportation access in Europe (but in separate cards) and for a lot more (paying, ticketing, marketing...) in Asia (where it might be on the phone).

There's currently apps that turn your phone into a barcode scanner, IIRC. RFID capability is only a matter of time.

[phlapjack77]

There's currently apps that turn your phone into a barcode scanner, IIRC. RFID capability is only a matter of time.

I could be wrong, but I remember the apps scanning barcodes by using the camera on the phone. RFID would need newer, different tech, I think? Although this NFC thing would fit the bill...

[hobgoblin]

Supposedly the next android version will support NFC.

And as Doctorow says, writing scifi is about predicting the present...

Usually it is about taking some current obscure event or tech and go make it a central feature (3d printing anyone?).

[hobgoblin]

Cool. Now I just need to figure out how they connect to anything.

Usually in the same way as a DVR or some other box connects to a TV. Sadly that means that two way communication is rather limited right now.
A combined displayport and usb connection would have been nice.

[Blade]

Yes, you need a RFID/NFC antenna if you want to use NFC/RFID while you just need a camera to read barcodes.
Some companies are selling NFC antenna that can be connected to the phone through bluetooth or sd slot, though.

[hobgoblin]

And iirc, there is now a NFC standard so that the phone can provide the antenna while the SIM card provides storage for the data.

In japan this is less of a issue, as the carriers are economic hydras. Iirc, docomo runs its own bank and issue its own credit cards.

And this makes me ponder what kind of wageslave "perks" a SR comlink comes with, that is useless for a runner (and so do not show up in the SR books).

Kinda like how i see the update system for programs being more then just a security patcher, providing a means for the corps to sell all kinds of "trinkets" that a runner would scoff at.

Btw, i guess hacker and face are the character types most likely to maintain multiple disposable IDs.

[Blade]

And iirc, there is now a NFC standard so that the phone can provide the antenna while the SIM card provides storage for the data.

Yes, it took several years for everyone (banks, carriers, cellphone manufacturers, credit card companies, SIM card manufacturers, NFC chipset/tags manufacturer, potential NFC services providers, patent trolls and I'm probably missing one or two) to agree on this because everyone wanted to have control over the system.

And now deployment will probably take a long time too since nobody wants to pay but everyone wants to reap the benefits: the manufacturers won't build NFC phones if there's nothing to use them with, services providers won't develop NFC-based services if there aren't any NFC phones to use them. Carriers/banks/credit card companies won't actively support NFC phones if they can't somehow make money and the end-user won't use NFC services if he has to pay more than what he pays without NFC.